Molding-machine.



PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908.

W L LA RUE MOLDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 6, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wn" um PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908.

W. L. LA RUE. MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIO'N FILED FEB. e, 1907.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Sum/Mom Zljz'llziwnl. Zafiue witnesses Guam,

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. W. L. LA RUE.

MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED THE. 6, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wi ma:

No. 897,114.. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. W. L. LA RUE.

MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1907.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4,

6 /5 l avwenloz 5/ 155 ZljilliamZ.Zaflue WILLIAM L. LA RUE, OFPITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

Application filed February 6, 1907. Serial No. 356,102.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. LA RUE, a

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Pittsfield, in theycounty ofBerkshire and State of Massachusett s ,fhave invented new and usefulImprovements in Molding-Machines, of which the followi'n is aspecification.

This invention re ates to molding machines designed for producing sandflasks or molds to besubsequently employed in casting opera" tions;

The improved machine embodies in its organization a mold fillingmechanism mcluding a storage vessel or tank adapted to hold' a supply ofsand or other matrix material and a com ressing mechanism including apressure evice operable through the -medium of a fluid under pressurefor compressing the material in the mold boxes, together with arotatable carrier or table adapted for -.carryin a plurality of boxessuccessively to the filling and compressing mechanisms.

The invention vide a com aratively simple, inexpensive device of thischaracter wherein the boxes will be automatically filled with the matrixmaterial and the latter thereafter acted upon by the compressing device,one wherein'the 0 erations of filling one box and compressing t ematerial in another will be simultaneously performed, and one in whichthe table will be positively moved 'for carrying the boxes successive yto the filling and compressing mechanisms and automatically rought torest at predetermined intervals for properly positioning the boxesduring the fillin and compressin operations.

A urther ob ect of t e invention is "to provide a machine of this ty ewherein the mouth of the supply tank w' 1 be automatic+ ally opened andclosed at predetermined intervals for ro erly charging the mold boxes,

' one in whic t e plunger operating fluid will be automaticallycontrolled for operating the plunger at determined intervals, andonewherein the completed flasks may be removed durin the intervals ofrest of .the table and whi e filling one mold and compressinglthematerial into another.

ith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig.2'is a cenhas for its objects to protral transverse central view of themachine, the hopper and its attachments being illustrated in elevation.Fig. 3 is a hor1zontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a side elevation viewed at right angles to Fig. 1 and showing thetable operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of thelower portion of the supply vessel showin the mechanism for operatmg thecut-off va ve.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a supporting base having avertical portion or standard 2 provided at a point above and suitablyremote from the base with. a cylindrical bearing portion or journal 3terminatmg at its lower end in a horizontal bearing ledge or flange 4,there being bolted to the standard 2 at a point beneath the flange 4, aplurality of radial supporting arms or beams 5 designed for sustaining ahorizontal semicircular track or rail 6 having at'the front of themachine a depressed portion 7 disposed in a horizontal plane below thenormal level of the remaining portions for a purpose which willhereinafter appear.

Journaled for rotation on the cylindrical portion 3 of the standard is ahorizontal table or carrier 8 having at diametrically opposite pointsradially projecting portions or extensions 9 and provided with acentral, tubular portion or hub 10 terminating at itslower end in ahorizontal bearing flange 11 which overlies the flange 4 and betweenwhich and the latter there is arranged a series of antifriction balls12, there being formed in the upper faces of the extensions 9 vertical,up-

wardly opening chambers or recesses 13, While slidably disposed invertical bearing openings 14 provided in the extensions 9 are verticallymovable plunger members or rods provided with heads or followers 16arranged in the chamber 13 and having their lower ends equipped withrollers 17 arranged to travel on the track or rail 6, the rods havingtheir lower -ortions threaded for the receptionof verticallyadjustable'clutch heads or disks 18 each adapted for engagement by apair of spring pressed clutching members or dogs 19 ivoted in bearings20 beneath the table and. provided at their lower ends with engagingportions or fingers 21' adapted for contact with underlying trippingmembers or rails 22 having inclined portions which act on the fingers 21to throw the dogs outward to releasing osition.

Positions on the portions 9 of the table and res ectively over thechambers 13 are a plura 'ty of removable boxes or molds 23 havingvertically depressible portions or sections 24 sustained in projectedcondition under the action of su porting springs 25, while arranged overt e chambers 13 beneath the boxes are follow boards or palettes 26 onwhich the matrix material rests during compression'and which are in turnprovided with openings 27 through which the patterns 28 carried by theplungers 16 are projected into the boxes, there being sustained on thetable 8 by means of vertical supports-29 a horizontal, circular gear 30having teeth 31 engaged'by a pinion 32 fixedon the end of a hanger shaft33 journaled in bearings at the lower end of a pair of hangers 34'attached to and depending through a suitable overhead support 35included in a framework 36.

Journaled in the frame 36 is a horizontal shaft 37 connected by a belt38 with the shaft 33 and equipped with a gear 39 in mesh with a pinion40 fixed on the shaft of a belt wheel '41 rotatively sustained in theframe and in turn connected by a belt 42 with a pulley 43 fixed on theshaft 44 of amotor 45 from which power is derived for driving thecarrier 8 through the medium of the intermediate connections.

Fixed on the standard 2 at a point above and suitably remote from thetable 8 is a rigid, horizont supporting arm 46 which sustains a vesselor container 47 adapted to hold a supply-of sand or other matrixmaterial and provided at its lower end with a discharge mouth normallyclosed by means of a horizontally movable cut-off plate or valve 48,which as seen more clearly in Fig. 5, is provided at its ends withvertically uprising connecting members or arms 49 equipped at theirupper ends with rollers 50 arranged for travel on horizontal rails 51attached to and at op osite sides of the vessel, while-sustame in airsat opposite sides of the vessel and para] el with the line of movementof the cut-off 48 are cylinders.52 containing n1ovable actuating membersor pistons, the rods 53 of which are connected at their outer ends withthe adjacent, hanger arms 49 whereby the istons in their movements serveto open or c ose the cut-'ofi valve 48.

Leading from a suitable source of supply, not shown, is a pipe or duct54 having branches leading to and communicating wlth the cylinders 52for supplying steam, air or other fluid under pressure to the cyl-1nders for operating the pistons, there being arranged in the branchportions of the duct cut-o valves 55, the stems of which are equip edwith operating levers 56connected by a ink 57 having a verticallydepending arm 58 adapted to be acted u on by tripping members or blocks59 fixed atappropriately spaced intervals on the table 8 for movvalves55, the arm being movable in the reverse direction for closing thevalves by means of a spring 60 attached to a stop 61 arm.

Pivoted to the standard 2 at 62 is a normally horizontal frame member orarm 63 having a vertically depending portion terneatli the table 8,there being fixed to the arm 63 a cylinder 65 containing a piston 66,the stem 67 of which projects downward through the lower end of thecylinder and carries a pressure head 68 adapted to compress the materialWithin the mold boxes, there being arranged on the stem 67 within thecylinder a normally expanded spring 69 which tends to hold the head inraised condition, while communicating with the cylinder at a point abovethe piston 66 is a pipe or duct 70 in which is connected a valve casing71 containing a valve 72 having an opening or passage 73 and on the stem74 of which there is fixed a toothed pinion 75- adapted to be acted uponby toothed segmental racks 76 fixed at appropriately spaced intervalsduct 70 supplies air, steam or other fluid under pressure to thecylinder 65 for operating the piston 66.

Fixed to and arising from the frame member 63 ata point above thecylinder 65 is a vertical post 77 to which is attached one end of alifting spring 78 having its other endconnected with the upper end ofstandard 2 and tending to raise the outer end of arm 63, the upwardmovement of the arm under the influence of the spring being limited bymeans of a stop 79 fixed on the frame member 46 at a point adjacent thepivot 62.

In practice, and during operation of the machine, the table 8 iscontinuously rotated through the medium of the driving mechanism, thepinion 32 and gear 30 for carrying the mold boxes successively beneaththe supply tank 47 and pressure device 68. As the boxes come to aposition beneath the lower end of the supply vessel 47 the correlowerend of arm 58 for moving the levers 56 other, whereby fluid underpressure will be admitted to the right hand cylinders 52 for operatingthe pistons therein to move the cutoff 48 to open position and allow thematrix material to discharge from the vessel into the underlying mold,it being understood that as soon as each box has received a properquantity of material the corresponding tripping head will have passedbeneath the arm 58, whereuponthe latter will be returned to normalposition by the spring 60 for cutting off the supply of fluid to theright hand cylinders 52 and admitting fluid under pressure to the lefthand cylinders to operate on thetable 8, it being understood that the.

which limits the closing movement of the minating in a finger 64 whichengages .be-

spoiiding tripping heads 59 act upon the a the pistons therein for againclosing the cutoif 48, it being understood that the cylinders areprovided at their outer ends with suitable exhaust ports through whichthe contained fluid may escape to permit free inward movement of thepistons. During rotation of the table and as the filled mold boxes passbeneath the pressure head 68 the racks 76 act on the inion 75 foropening the valve 72 to admit uid under pressure to the cylinder 65above the piston 66, thereby moving the latter downward against theaction of spring 69 to cause the head 68 to compress the material in theunderlying box, in which operation the box extensions 24 will be moveddownward against the action of spring 25 to permit the surplus materialcontained in the section to be compressed within the body of the box.

After the piston has moved downward an appropriate distance under theaction of the operating fluid the latter escapes through an exhaust portprovided in the cylinder, whereupon the iston will be returned to normalposition t rough the medium of the spring being understood that the rack76 serves to first open the valve 72 for admitting fluid to the cylinderand thereafter closes the valve for cutting ofl the supply. As soon aseach of the boxes has passed beneath the member 68 for having thematerial compressed the lower end of the stem 15 passes over thedepression and the members 22 move the dogs 19 to open position forreleasing the clutch head 18, whereupon the stem 15 will move downwardunder the influence of the weight of the clutch head thereby withdrawingthe pattern 28 from the mold box, whereupon the box passes onto anintermediate position between the filling and ,com ressing devices andat the front of the mac ine to permit removal of the hold containing thefinished flask and the substitution therefor of an empty mold, it beingun derstood that the operations of filling and com ressing arecontinuously and successive y repeated throughout the period ofoperation of the machine, and further that as the empty boxes pass to aposition beneath the filling mechanism the rollers 17 in riding upwardon the elevated portion of the track raise the stems 15 for projectingthe pattern into the em ty box and forcing the head 18 automaticallyinto engagement with the locking dogs 19 by which the pattern is held inactive position. When air is first ad'- mitted to the cylinder 65 thepressure exerted thereby on the piston 66 moves the arm 63 slightlyupward for moving the engaging portion 64 into contact with the table,thus locking the parts 63 and 9 to cause them to travel together duringthe filling and compressing operation and until this pressure isrelieved. As soon, however, as the pressure in the cylinder is relieveddue to exhausting of the fluid the spring 78 acts for returning the arm63 to normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flask molding machine, a base, a movable table supportedthereon, a standard rising from said base, a pivoted arm projecting fromsaid standard, said arm being formed with a depending portion, saidportion terminating in a finger, said finger engaging the under surfaceof the table.

2. In a flask molding machine, a base, a

movable table supported thereby, a standard rising from said base, apivoted arm projecting laterally from said standard, a post carried bythe arm, and flexible means connecting the post to the standard.

3. In a flask molding machine, a base, a movable table su portedthereon, a plurality of boxes carried l iy the table, a standard risingfrom said base, an arm "projecting from the standard, a cylinder securedto the under surface of the arm and adjacent the end thereof, a pistondisposed in said cylinder, a stem depending from said piston and passingthrough the bottom of the cylinder, a pressure head carried by the stem,a spring arranged in the cylinder and contacting with the under surfaceof the piston and with the bottom of the cylinder, said spring holdingthe pressurehead in raised osition.

In testimony whereof, I a%x my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- WILLIAM L. LA RUE.

Witnesses:

BESSIE M. ROWE, LUTHER L. OTwooD.

